


If Time Permits

by jane3876



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-12
Updated: 2014-02-12
Packaged: 2017-12-05 02:58:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/718089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jane3876/pseuds/jane3876
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. "Promise me…you won't forget me." She bit her lip when he pulled away, lifting one hand to cup her cheek. His handsome face was fierce when his eyes met hers. "I promise," he vowed gently. "I'll never forget you Lucy Heatifilia."As the sun began to set and the warmth faded with it, she pressed a hand to her mouth. I love you, Natsu. I will always love you.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Act 1: Part I, II & III

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters!

ACT I

_Part I_

 

She could still remember the first time she had ever heard his name. Looking back, she never thought that one name, such a strange name, could change everything she had ever thought about her life…could change _everything_.

* * *

 

“…Lucy? Lucy, are you even listening?”

The blond girl looked up from the book in her lap and saw the exasperated face of her best friend Levy, looking down at her. Grinning sheepishly, Lucy closed the book she had been reading.

“Sorry, Levy. What were you saying?”

Levy sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, her small nose scrunching up. “You know, Lucy. I love reading just as much as you do, but it’s kind of rude to do it when someone is trying to talk to you.”

Lucy’s smile turned apologetic. “I’m sorry, Levy. It was just such a good book.”

Levy’s frown was smoothed away and a curious smile replaced it. “Which book was it? Have I read it before?”

“It’s called _If Time Permits_. It’s a beautiful love story.” Lucy sighed. “But it has a sad ending.”

“I think I’ve heard of it. I heard it was really good.”

“It is,” Lucy confirmed. “But anyway, what did you come here to tell me?”

Levy’s face brightened a little. “Oh! I was wondering if you had met the new kid yet.”

Just as Levy’s question left her lips, they heard the chime of the school bell signaling the end of free period and the beginning of class. Lucy got to her feet from her curled up position in one of the arm chairs in the library and stretched her arms over her head with a sigh. Her sizable chest strained the front of her uniform and brought the emblem of Fair Tail High into stark relief.

“New kid?” Lucy asked as she bent down to gather her bag. “I didn’t know we had a new student.”

“Yeah, he apparently just transferred from some high school outside of Kyoto. I’ve heard he’s rather…strange.”

Lucy frowned a little and fell into step beside her friend as they made their way to class. “Strange how?”

Levy shrugged her dainty shoulders as she brushed a piece of her bright blue hair out of her big eyes. “I’m not sure. I’ve only heard that you won’t forget him if you ever run into him.”

“What’s his name anyway?”

“Natsu Dragoneel.”

* * *

 

  _Part II_  


“My name is Natsu Dragoneel. It’s nice to meet you all.”

Lucy stared up at the front of the class with wide eyes. Since she sat in the front desk right in front of him, she had to crane her neck a little to look up at his face. The first thing she could say for certain that she noticed about him was his bright pink hair.

Pink hair? Who in the world would die their hair _pink_?

And who wears a scarf in _July?_

Beyond that, she noticed that he was actually very attractive. He had bright, warm brown eyes that scanned and looked over every face in the classroom before finally settling on Lucy. When he saw her, his bright smile became even brighter if that was at all possible, making him almost drip boyish charm. Behind her, she could hear the girls begin to giggle and whisper, ‘He’s so cute!’ and ‘I wonder if he’s seeing anyone?’

Blinking, Lucy noticed that his gaze hadn’t wavered from her face ever since he had spotted her and she felt her cheeks warm. It was weird, blushing in front of a boy. Lucy was not shy in the least and had blushed very few times in her life and never simply because a cute boy was _looking_ at her. How strange.

She looked away, down at her desk and licked her lips as the teacher interrupted the excited whispering that had erupted. “Natsu, why don’t you sit behind Lucy? If you need anything or have any questions, I’m sure she would be happy to help you. Lucy, raise your hand, please.”

Jerking to attention and feeling her cheeks warm even more, she raised her hand hesitantly. She watched as his eyes connected with hers and he grinned. Striding toward her, he stopped next to her desk. Looking up at him, she had never felt so nervous in her life.

Nervous? Nervous about _what_?

“Nice to meet ya, Lucy.”

_Oh._

And that was all it took to change everything.

* * *

 

_Part III_

“And to find the variable…”

_Squeak…Sigh…_

“You must subtract both sides by this number here and…”

_Squeak…squeak…_

“Now can anyone tell me what the answer would be?”

_Squeak…sigh…_

“Ms. Heartifilia, can you tell us the answer?”

_Squeeeeaaaak…_

Lucy whipped around in her seat, her face twisted into a mask of irritation.

“Would you stop it?!”

Silence. Horrible, awful silence. Natsu’s wide eyes and beginnings of a grin. She had to close her eyes, knowing what would come next…

“Ms. Heartifilia, since you seem to be a little distracted, maybe detention will help you refocus.”

Turning back to face her teacher, Lucy winced and looked down at her desk, her cheeks hot with her embarrassment as the class erupted in muffled laughter.

“Yes, ma’am,” she murmured. Nodding, her teacher resumed her lecture. Behind her, Lucy heard a snicker.

Lucy felt her eyebrow twitch but was determined not to be bothered by the pink haired menace behind her. All movement behind her paused for a moment.

 _Squeeeaaak…_ ”Psst. Lucy.”

Her grip on her pencil tightened until her knuckles turned white.

_Ignore him. He’ll lose interest soon enough._

“Luuuccyy…”

She felt her shoulders tense when she felt warmth at her back and hot breath fan the nape of her neck.

“Come on, Lucy. I know you can hear me.”

Sighing and pinching the bridge of her nose, Lucy leaned back in her seat and turned her head so she could see the pink of his hair from the corner of her eye while still keeping an eye on the teacher.

“What do you want?” she hissed impatiently.

She saw a flash of white teeth.

“What are you doing during lunch today?” he whispered and she could literally feel his every word as he breathed on her. She felt the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand on end at his proximity.

“N-Nothing. Probably going to the library. Why?”

Natsu peeked up at the teacher to make sure she was still distracted before continuing.

“You should have lunch with me and some of the guys today.”

Lucy felt her heart beat a little faster and frowned.

“Why?” she asked again. In the two weeks that Natsu had been at the school, he already had more friends than Lucy who had been there for two years. It wasn’t too surprising considering no one was a stranger in Natsu’s eyes. He was everyone’s best friend and it annoyed Lucy to no end.

She saw him shrug from the corner of her eye before feeling his hot breath on her neck again.

That was another thing that annoyed Lucy about Natsu. He had no concept of personal space.

“You seem cool…so what do you say? You want to join us?”

Seeing the teacher was turned toward the black board, Lucy turned her head as far as she could so she could look into Natsu’s face. She almost gasped in surprise at how _close_ his face was to hers. Their noses brushed briefly before Lucy jerked her head back a few inches.

Natsu flashed her his bright grin that always made her blush and her heart race, seemingly unaware of just how flustered he made her. Biting her lip she warred with herself. She could say no and go to the library to meet Levy like she did every day or she could say yes and maybe get to know this enigma of a boy that sat behind her every day. Sighing, she knew she didn’t really have much of a choice no matter what she might think. For better or worse, she seemed to be almost…drawn to Natsu.

“Where?”

At her answer, his grin brightened and he reached up to squeeze her shoulder a little.

“Awesome! We meet on the roof. See you there.”

With that, he leaned back in his seat once more, the chair protesting with a obnoxious squeak. Lucy turned back to the teacher but didn’t hear anything of what she said. The symbols on the board seemed as if they were hieroglyphics with how much she could comprehend them. And the entire time, her shoulder tingled from the remnants of his touch.

Who would have thought his hands would be so… _warm_?

 


	2. Part IV

“Hey, Natsu?” Lucy asked, breaking the silence that had fallen over them. Natsu and Lucy were eating a rare lunch alone, just the two of them as the rest of their friends were busy cramming for a test that they had the next class. Lucy never studied because she was good in school and Natsu…well Natsu just never studied, period.

Said boy hummed in the back of his throat as he stuffed half of his hamburger into his mouth. Looking away in disgust, she looked down at her own sandwich. “Why do you always wear that scarf?”

Natsu looked at her in surprise. Managing to swallow all the food in his mouth, he grinned at her. Lifting an edge to the cloth wrapped around his throat, he ran his fingers over the material. “This? My dad gave this to me when I was born.”

“Aren’t you hot in it?” she asked.

He shrugged. “Sometimes, but most of the time I don’t really notice.”

“So why do you wear it all the time?”

He paused in the motion of bringing his soda to his lips and looked over at her. Setting it down next to him, he sighed a little. “It’s a long story but basically, my dad got into some…trouble and had to leave. I wear this because…” he looked down at the scarf in his hands. “Because it reminds me of him. He left when I was ten and sometimes…sometimes I can’t remember him like I used to. So when I can’t hear his voice in my head or I can’t remember exactly what he looks like, I look at this and…it all just comes back.”

Lucy bit her lip and didn’t know how to approach this sudden change in Natsu’s character. The most serious she had ever seen him was whenever he fought Gray and even that isn’t entirely serious. Seeing him this somber made her feel uncomfortable, like she didn’t know what to do or say. He seemed to notice her unease and managed a small smile. “And it’s also to hide that ugly scar I’ve got.”

She blinked for a moment, distracted from her somber thoughts. “Scar? What scar?”

Reaching up, Natsu pulled the cloth from his neck, letting it pool into his lap. Turning his head, he bared the left side of his throat to her gaze for the first time since they’d met. “This one.”

Along the column of his throat, a few inches above his shoulder, was a jagged piece of flesh about two inches long that was a few shades lighter than the rest of his tan skin, standing out in stark relief. Surprised, Lucy leaned forward to look at it closer. For the few months that Lucy had known Natsu, she had noticed just how flawless his skin was. Being a teenager, even she got break outs sometimes or had days where she was flushed and red. But she had never seen even the tiniest scratch on Natsu, not even after his fights with Gray and it had always made her jealous. And now, seeing this imperfection on his skin, it seemed so unnatural that she almost thought she was imagining it. Without thinking, she lifted her hand and skimmed her fingertips lightly along the raised skin. As soon as her skin touched his, she heard him suck in a sharp breath.

She pulled her hand back quickly and looked up at him with a small frown. “I’m sorry. Does it still hurt?”

Shaken at the feelings that her touch had brought, Natsu could only shake his head and look away.

Lucy turned her attention back at the scar for a moment before sitting back and leaving Natsu’s personal space. She saw his shoulders relax once again.

“How did you get that?”

He ran a hand through his hair and blew a breath out of his lips. “I don’t really remember. I’ve just always had it.”

“You don’t seem to very sensitive when talking about it. So why do you hide it?”

Once again, he only shrugged. “It stops people from asking so I don’t have to explain, you know?”

Lucy nodded absently and turned back to her meal, but her mind was far from satisfied. When Natsu had been talking about his father, he had seemed so… _sad_. Where was his father? Was he some kind of criminal on the run from the police? Was…was his father the one who gave him that scar?

Shaking her thoughts away, she almost laughed at herself. Here she was, acting like she was in some novel or something, thinking that Natsu had a haunted past. And even if he did have a past, who was she to try and pry her way into it?

It would be best if she just put it from her mind. He would tell her if he wanted to.

And yet, she found herself sneaking glances at his profile as he messily ate his food and wondered…

Was there more to Natsu than the happy boy he let everyone see?

 


	3. Part V

 

“You have a… _blue_ cat?”

Lucy stared down at the little feline as it sat at her feet, giving her a similar look of distrust. With a twitch of its tail, the cat got to its feet and began to twine itself around Natsu’s feet, dismissing her existence. Grinning, the pink haired boy bent down and picked the purring animal up into his arms. He ran his fingers under the cat’s chin and was rewarded with its purrs increasing in volume.

“Yeah.” Blinking, he looked over at his dumb founded friend. “Do you not have one?”

“No! I’ve never even _seen_ one up to this point. Has it…always been this way?”

“Yep. Ever since I found him four years ago.”

Watching them, Lucy couldn’t help but grin. Here was this strange boy with _pink_ hair with his _blue_ cat. But as she continued to watch them together, she saw how his face broke out into a smile that she had never seen before. It was gentle and warm, a different kind than the carefree smile she was used to seeing on his face. She could see on his face how much he loved his pet and from the way the cat vigorously licked his face and how loudly it purred, she could tell the feeling was mutual. Against her will, she felt something begin to rise from the pit of her stomach. Something that felt suspiciously like…jealousy?

No that couldn’t be right.

Shaking her head, she stepped forward and peered closer at the cat. As if sensing her curiosity, the cat turned from rubbing his head against Natsu’s cheek and looked at her dead in the eye. She almost took a step back she was so surprised at the raw intelligence in the animal’s eyes as it met her gaze. She found herself unable to look away.  It was almost as if he were searching her soul to see if she met his approval or not.

After a moment of tense silence, with Natsu watching the exchange with a strange smile, the cat blinked and reached its head out to sniff in Lucy’s direction. Lucy held her breath and found herself feeling nervous at what would happen next.

With a full body shake and a last nuzzle to his master, the cat jumped out of Natsu’s arms and sat himself at Lucy’s feet. Cocking his bright blue head to the side, he meowed up at her, as if beckoning her.

Looking over at Natsu, she saw him grin and nod. She bent down on one knee and reached her hand out hesitantly. She normally wasn’t very fond of cats, would actually go as far as to say she _hated_ them, but for some reason this cat, this strange, smart, _blue_ cat had caught her attention and she soon found herself with him in her arms and rubbing her cheek along the top of his head. She had apparently made a good impression on him.

“His name is Happy. Pretty apt, huh?”

Laughing, Lucy looked down at the cat in her arms. He looked back up at her for a moment before lifting a paw and beginning to groom himself, seemingly perfectly comfortable in her arms. “Yeah. I would say so.” 


	4. Part VI

_Lucy sat, staring at the paper in front of her with a furious frown._

_Stupid paper. Stupid homework…stupid math._

_She had always hated math, have never been good at it. And it was because of this that even at the age six, she was struggling in her basic math class. And it was because of this that her mean teacher decided to give her extra work to 'help' her. As if. More like torture her!_

_Why couldn't she have had reading homework? She always liked her reading homework._

" _Lucy, just staring down at the paper isn't going to make your homework do itself, young lady," a soft voice rang from the kitchen._

_Pouting, Lucy turned to look at her mother's back as she bustled around in the kitchen, getting dinner ready._

" _But, Mama. I hate math. It's stupid!"_

_The older woman laughed, turning her blond head to look at her young daughter._

" _I know, honey. But it has to be done and you know it."_

_Lucy sighed and leaned her face into the palm of her hand. "Still stupid though," she muttered._

" _I heard that," her mother's amused voice called out._

" _Sorry, Mama," Lucy said automatically, but the impish grin on her face belied her words. Turning from the stove and wiping her hands on a dish cloth, her mother opened her mouth to reply, but was stopped by the sound of the front door opening and closing and the call of a tired, deep voice._

" _I'm home."_

_Almost immediately, Lucy's whole face lit up and she jumped to her feet. Her mother watched her go with a small tense smile._

" _Daddy!" Lucy screamed as she raced toward her father. He winced at her volume, the headache pounding behind his eyes increasing in intensity. He smiled a little when his daughter latched onto his long leg._

" _Hey, princess. Keep the volume down a little, would you. Daddy's got a headache."_

_Lucy blinked up at him, her bright brown eyes wide with worry. "Are you sick, Daddy?"_

_He laid a large hand on his daughter's head and couldn't help but notice just how much she looked like her mother, staring up at him with soulful brown eyes. "No, princess. Just a little tired."_

" _Lucy, sweetie. Your math homework isn't going to do itself."_

_The little girl's shoulder slumped and she stepped back from her father, a pout on her lips. She should have known her mother wouldn't have stay distracted for long._

" _Yes, Mama."_

_With that, she shuffled her feet reluctantly back to the living room and sat in front of her math workbook to work out the stupid problems again._

_Stupid math._

_Stepping toward her husband, Layla smiled up at him and reached up to cup his cheek. He leaned into her touch with a small sigh. "You look exhausted, Jude," Lucy's mother murmured._

" _I know. My boss is running me ragged. But hopefully I'll get the promotion and everything will be okay after that."_

_Layla visible swallowed her words and instead pasted a grin on her face. "Well, you're just in time for dinner."_

_He sniffed the air and smiled a little. "Smells good. But," he whispered, leaning down to kiss his wife, catching her by surprise. "Not as good as you smell." Layla blushed and giggle, caught off guard by his affectionate gesture._

" _Jude!"_

_Lucy watched this all from her position in the living room, a smile on her face even as the math problems mocked her. She had always thought her Mama and Daddy were so silly. Saying weird things and kissing each other._

_Shaking her head, she turned back to her homework, her smile gone and replaced with another pout._

_Stupid math…_

* * *

Lucy jerked awake with a shout of surprise as her alarm went off right next to her ear. Groaning and squeezing her eyes shut against the light of the sun as it fell through her blinds, she slapped a hand to her alarm to shut it up.

Stupid school…

Sighing, she rolled over in bed and managed to swing her legs over the side. Running a hand down her face, she took a deep breath, the remnants of her dream…no her  _memory_  still lingering in her mind.

She hadn't dreamt of such things since…since five years ago…since that horrible time.

In fact, it was strange just how clear and could remember that moment. It hadn't been a very special one. A regular day among countless in those carefree, happy days. The days before…

She shook her head and got to her feet. She didn't have time to mourn the past. She had to get ready for school.

Twenty minutes found her dressed and ready to go. Gathering her bag, Lucy made her way down the hall way into the spacious living room where she saw the two maids busily cleaning and dusting. Waving to them with a smile, she breezed her way past and into the kitchen. At her entrance, the chef turned to look at her with a smile.

"Miss Heartfilia! You look lovely this morning."

Lucy smile and shook her head. "You're such a flirt, Jack. Do you have anything for me, I'm running a bit late?"

The young chef rolled his eyes with a smile. "Aren't you always? Grab a muffin, they just came out of the oven."

With a grin, she quickly snatched up the delicious treat. Jack made the best muffins…Pressing a kiss to his cheek, she called out a farewell, leaving him shaking his head with amusement.

"That girl…she's a handful."

Just as Lucy had reached the giant mahogany doors that was the entrance to the Hearfilia estate, a familiar voice rang out and stopped her in her tracks.

"Late again, Lucy?"

Lucy froze with her hand on the handle and felt her shoulder tense, her good mood instantly soured.

"Yes. Though I don't know why you care."

Her father's voice was thick with warning. "Lucy…don't start."

Her head was high and proud but she still refused to turn and face him. "What do you want, father? I thought you would be at the office by now."

She heard him sigh. "Am I not allowed to talk to my daughter now?"

"You never cared to before. Why start now?" she snapped, her grip on the handle tightening until her knuckles turned white.

"Damn it, Lucy. I said don't start with me!" he yelled, banging his fist on the dining room table. She didn't flinch and remained stonily silent. When he continued, his voice was tight with irritation. "I was going to tell you that I am hosting a business party this weekend. I want you to get something suitable to wear to it."

She stood in silence for a moment before speaking once again. "Why would I? I'm not going."

"Lucy, you are my daughter, no matter how much you hate the idea. You have to attend. Think of how it would look if-"

"I'm sorry, but when did I ever give you the impression that I ever cared about how something would look?"

She could hear him curse softly but kept her eyes trained on the foggy glass of the front door. "We've talking about this. In a few years you're expected to take over the company, starting small, of course. But one day I will hand the company over to you."

"And I've told you countless times," she said calmly, finally turning to face him. When her eyes met his, they were burning with rage and suppressed tears. "I want absolutely nothing to do with you or your stupid company!"

With that, she whirled around and yanked the door open, letting it slam behind her, cutting off the furious sound of her father's voice as he called after her.

Pressing a hand to her mouth, she stopped in the middle of the pathway leading to the main road, her shoulder shaking.

Damn it, why did she let him get to her? It had been years since she had last cared what her father had to say. So why did it hurt so badly that he hadn't even tried to pretend to care?

Taking a deep, shaking breath, she straightened her shoulder and blinked back her tears. Crying over the way her life was now from the happiness that she could remember just five short years ago. It was time to get on with her day.

With that, a certain pink haired boy's face flashed across her mind and a small tentative smile turned up the corners of her mouth.

Yeah, she had other things to think about


	5. Part VII

“Natsu, no!”

The cry was called out but, due to the roar of the gathering crowd, wasn’t heard.

Lucy grunted and tried to elbow her way back to the front, as she had been shoved to the back as soon as the other students had swarmed the two boys.

The two boys that were Lucy’s friends.

She cried out softly in pain when someone jabbed an elbow in her ribs, but didn’t slow down her struggle. She had to get to Natsu. She had to calm him down. It was all just a big misunderstanding!

She had to get to Natsu!

It had started during lunch. It seemed that most things seemed to happen during lunch whenever it involved Natsu and, subsequently, Lucy as well. Ever since they had become friends, Lucy and Natsu were virtually inseparable. Therefore, whenever Natsu got into trouble, typically Lucy got into trouble as well for simply being there. It was a fact that Lucy had come to accept in the six months of knowing Natsu. He was simply too much excitement to not get into trouble.

In fact, he hadn’t gotten into trouble the last few weeks, so it really shouldn’t surprise Lucy that this fight had occurred. But what did surprise her is what had caused the fight. Her. She, Lucy Heartfilia, had caused two boys to start fighting over her. It was a strange concept to be sure.

Who it was between was especially surprising too. It was between Natsu and…Loki. Usually Natsu only fought Gray and Gajeel. Lucy was pretty certain, in fact, that Natsu only knew who Loki was because Lucy was friends with him. The boys had never talked beyond the usual greetings and situations where Lucy was the only common factor between them. So the fact that they were fighting was a little of a shock. Especially since it was over _Lucy_.

It had started when Lucy had been on her way to join Natsu and their little rag-tag group up on the roof for lunch…

 

* * *

 

_“Lucy! Lucy!”_

_Said girl looked up from the floor under her feet, startled from her thoughts and saw her friend Loki waving and starting her way. A bright smile lit her pretty features and she stopped, waiting for him to reach her._

_“Hey, Loki. What’s up?”_

_The handsome playboy shrugged his shoulders and his lips lifted into a practiced, dazzling smile. “Just couldn’t keep myself away, it seems.”_

_Lucy couldn’t help but laugh and shake her head. While boys at her school didn’t necessarily flirt with her very often, more like ogled her sizable chest from afar, she wasn’t exactly innocent when it came to boys such as Loki, who was known for his string of broken hearts and furious exes. Ever since she had shown up as a nervous first year, Loki had set his sights on her and had been flirting and trying to ‘get’ her ever since. Lucy didn’t take him very seriously, she never had. After all, how stupid would she be to believe that he would settle for simply one girl?_

_“If you don’t stop flirting with me, your girlfriends might get the wrong idea and think you’re actually interested, Loki,” Lucy warned, her eyes bright with amusement._

_The brown haired boy stepped forward and stared down into her eyes, his face a mask of earnest sincerity, if it wasn’t for his mischievous brown eyes. “But Lucy, those girls mean nothing to me. You know you’re my number one.”_

_She shook her pointer finger up at him, trying to smother her laughter. “That playboy attitude is going to get you into trouble one day, mister. I feel sorry for the poor girl that actually believes you.”_

_He placed a hand on his chest in mock insult. “You think my feelings for you are an act.” He shook his head slowly, as if disappointed. “I thought you had more faith in me than that, Lucy.”_

_She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, drawing his eyes just as she knew it would. “So you mean to tell me that I’m not watching you ogle my chest right now?” She shook her head when he opened his mouth to object. “You’ll never change.”_

_With that, she moved to get around him, but stopped when he shot out his arm in her way. Stepping back, she looked up at him, a question in her eyes. His eyes were trained on the ground at his feet, his mood suddenly somber and intent._

_“Lucy,” he spoke softly after a moment._

_“Yes?” she asked carefully. Looking up into his face, she frowned a little. “Are you feeling okay, Loki?”_

_“What if…” he seemed to debate something in his mind, before looking up at her, determination in his brown eyes. “What if I told you that I…wasn’t kidding?”_

_She tilted her head a little, confusing wrinkling her brow. “What do you mean?”_

_“I mean,” he whispered, stepping toward her so that their chests brushed. Lucy felt her breath catch in her lungs and her heart start hammering at his proximity and the absolute seriousness in his gaze. She had never seen him look so…sincere. “What if I really did like you? What would you do?”_

_A laugh bubbled up in her throat and escaped before she could stop it. “Seriously, Loki. This isn’t funny. You could really hurt a girl with those acting skills.”_

_“No, Lucy.” He bit his lip, a look of uncertainty crossing his handsome features before disappearing as if it had never been. “I **am** serious. I like you, Lucy Heartfilia. I always have.”_

_Lucy’s lips parted and her eyes widened. He was serious. She could tell by the slight blush on his cheeks and how he couldn’t hold her gaze for more than a few seconds before flitting away and back again._

_“Loki,” she whispered. “I…don’t know what to say.”_

_He caught her gaze and reached down to clasp her hands as they hung limply at her sides. “Say you’ll give me a chance. I can change, I swear it.”_

_She immediately shook her head, a small smile on her face. She pushed against his chest, trying to get some space between them. “Loki, no. You don’t really mean that. You just…you’re just attracted to me, that’s all.”_

_“No!” he cried, stepped forward another step and forcing her back, causing her back to brush against the wall. Her eyes flew to his in alarm at the panic she could hear in his voice. “I know how I feel about you, Lucy! I really like you.”_

_“Loki,” she whispered again, her eyes shifting left and right, trying to find a way to get some space between them. She could feel her heart begin to pound with nerves, her mind scrambling for a way to get out of this awkward situation she had found herself in. Sighing, she looked up at him. He didn’t deserve her running away without answering him. He was her friend and he deserved to know how she felt about him. “Loki,” she repeated softly. “I’m sorry but I just…I don’t see you that way. I’m so sorry.”_

_She bit her lip as he stilled his eyes wide as they gazed down at her. Guilt made her stomach turn and she dropped her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she repeated and tried to tug her hands away from his but his grip tightened on her so she couldn’t._

_“You will.” Blinking up at him, she frowned._

_“What?”_

_“You just don’t think I’m being serious,” he said, his voice rushed and his grip on her hands tightening a fraction. “I’ll show you how serious I’m being and you’ll realize that we’re meant to be. I promise.”_

_“L-Loki,” she stuttered, her mind reeling. What could she say to something like that? How could she get herself out of this situation without hurting a friendship that she valued? “I’m sorry but-“_

_She was cut off when a pair of lips pressed against hers. She gasped in surprise, her lips parting and Loki immediately plunging his tongue into her mouth. She tried to turn her mouth away but his hands came up to cage her face between his palms. She cried out when in his enthusiasm, one of his nails nicked into her cheek._

_Lucy used her newly freed hands to push against her friend’s chest, her stomach twisting into horrible knots of fear. But he was significantly bigger than her and in her panic, her arms seemed to lack their usual strength._

_With a desperate shove, she managed to tear her mouth away and gasp for air, a sob immediately following, a sound of pure panic. “Loki, stop it!” she cried out._

_“Just let it happen,” he whispered against her lips before he swallowed her next cry of fear. Wrapping his arms around her, he trapped her arms at her sides and made her struggling ineffective._

_Lucy was on the verge of kneeing him when she heard someone shout in anger._

_“What the **fuck**?” And then Loki was gone and Lucy was free. With a sob, her knees buckled underneath her and she sank to the ground. Her eyes were wide as they took in the sight of Natsu pinning Loki against the opposite wall with his forearm pressed under Loki’s chin despite the other boy’s height advantage, his face twisted into a mask of pure fury as he screamed obscenities into Loki’s shocked face. _

_“What the fuck do you think you’re doing to Lucy, you bastard?”_

_Lucy pressed a shaking hand to her lips. She could still taste him and she felt her eyes begin to burn as her throat closed up. Struggling to breathe and trying not to cry, she somehow managed to get to her feet._

_“Natsu,” she called. “Natsu, stop it.” But he didn’t seem to hear her, his voice loud and ringing in the halls as he continued to scream at Loki, who was beginning to get visibly angry. Pushing Natsu from him, Loki sneered at him and said something that Lucy couldn’t make out over the roar of blood in her ears._

_Whatever he said seemed to set Natsu off and his eyes narrowed dangerously. Lucy saw Natsu say something softly a second before his fist flashed out and sent Loki flying back against the wall. Loki looked at the shorter boy in shock as blood began to trickle from his busted lip before his lips twisted into a snarl and he launched himself at Natsu._

_Just as Lucy summoned the courage to try and stop the fight, someone poked their head out of a nearby classroom and cried, “Fight!” and students began to gather and crowd the two boys._

 

* * *

 

And now that Lucy had gotten her head back onto her shoulders and managed to stop herself from trembling, she couldn’t seem to get to her friends to stop the stupid fight. Loki shouldn’t have forced her to kiss him, true. But that was no reason to beat the crap out of him. Simply shoving him away and yelling would have sufficed.

_Either go hard or go home,_ she could hear Natsu snicker in her mind and she scowled, irritation beginning to take place of the worry.

Stupid Natsu. Stupid Loki. Stupid _boys_.

Finally, she managed to get to the front of the group of students just in time to see Natsu fall to the ground as Loki landed a solid punch at his jaw. Immediately, Natsu was on his feet again and was about to lunge at Loki when Lucy’s voice rang out.

_“That is enough!_ ”

Silence descended on the hall way and Lucy felt eyes bore into her from every direction. But her attention was focused on the two panting, bleeding boys in front of her. “That’s enough,” she repeated, softer now that it was quiet. “Please, just…stop it!”

“Lucy?” Loki asked, frowning.

“He forced himself on you, Lucy!” Natsu cried at the same time. Loki’s face paled at Natsu’s words and he turned his panicked eyes to Lucy.

“Lucy, I would ne-“

She held up a hand to hold off Loki’s adamant defense. Sighing, she smiled a tad bit sadly at him. “I know that Loki. You were just…caught in the moment. I understand.” She then turned to Natsu. “And I understand why you’re upset, it looked very bad.”

Natsu frowned, his hands dropping at his sides, his eyes intent. “Do you mean…you wanted him to kiss you?”

“No!” she cried immediately. “It was just…” Just then, she remembered their audience and looked around, blushing at the attention directed at the three of them. “Let’s talk about this somewhere else.”

Both boys nodded and followed her and Lucy made her way through the crowd as it parted to allow her passage. When they were a sufficient distance away, she turned back to the two boys.

“I won’t tell you all that happened, Natsu. But just know that Loki wouldn’t do something to hurt me anymore than you would.”

“Exactly, I-“ Once again, Lucy held up a hand to ward of Loki’s words.

“But, I heard you. You told him to stop and he didn’t!” Natsu insisted. Lucy smiled at him softly.

“I know and at the time, I was a little worried but,” she chanced a look at Loki’s contrite face. “But it was a mistake and that is that. That’s all it was. A mistake.”

Natsu searched her face and Lucy met his gaze head on, her chin tilted and her shoulders straight. Whatever he was looking for seemed to reassure him because his shoulders relaxed and he nodded.

“If you say so.” But he turned to look at Loki one last time, his eyes narrowing. “But I’m keeping my eye on you. Touch Lucy again and I’ll beat you until not even your mother will recognize you.”

Lucy sighed and closed her eyes on a moment of frustration. Natsu could be so over protective sometimes. But he cared and that touched her. It wasn’t often that someone would openly care for her like Natsu did. And he wasn’t a stranger to affection. He was affectionate and protective of all his friends. They were his world and he let everyone know it.

Smiling softly at him, Lucy reached forward to skim her fingertips on a nasty looking cut above Natsu’s eyebrow.

He turned his attention to her at her touch and smiled at her, albeit a little hesitantly. Scanning her over, he asked, “Are you sure you’re okay, Lucy?”

Her smile widened and she nodded. “I’m fine. You need to get yourself to the nurse’s office. And don’t think that this is an excuse to skip the rest of school. I’ve seen worse injuries when you’re playing with Gray.”

He managed to look affronted. “I am not _playing_ with Gray. I’m beating the shit out of him!”

She rolled her eyes, her smile firmly in place. “Yeah, yeah. Tell it to your pride.”

During the playful banter, Loki looked on with a mixture of pain and jealousy. It was easy to tell just from the casual way they handled each other that they were close. Closer than he and Lucy had ever been. Lucy by nature was a kind girl and she wasn’t discriminating about who she cared for. But she had never looked at him the way she was looking at Natsu. As if he was everything. With that bright light behind her eyes that only came from true understanding and affection. And though he hated to admit it, Loki realized he hadn’t stood a chance with Lucy the second she had seen Natsu’s bright pink hair.

 


	6. Part VIII

 

It was weird the first time she noticed it. To be honest, it really shouldn’t have surprised her; she had seen it a million times before in their months as friends. But this time…this time it was different.

Had his smile always looked that…beautiful?

Shaking her head, Lucy couldn’t seem to tear her gaze away from that smile, the sight of it making her heart pound and heat creep up her cheeks. She watched as the waning sunlight slanting through the window made his hair burn with pink flame and made the carefree flash of teeth all that much more stunning. She loved the way his eyes sparkled with warmth, the way they seemed to truly _see_ her.

Had it always been this way?

“Lucy? Yo, Earth to Lucy!”

She blinked to clear her mind and felt the heat of her cheeks increase in intensity as she realized she had been gazing at her friend for the last several seconds. Looking away, she coughed to cover to embarrassment and fiddled with blanket underneath her.

_Geez, how lame Lucy. Could to you be any creepier?_

“Are you okay, Lucy?” Natsu asked, cocking his head to the side in concern. Chancing a look at him, she blushed even harder at just how _cute_ he looked and had to look away again.

“Yeah.” Damn was her voice really shaking that badly? What the hell? “I’m fine. Just peachy.” Peachy? Really?

She bit her lip and closed her eyes, raising one hand to press against her forehead.

Natsu searched her face, clearly not believing her blatant lie, but in a rare moment of tact, didn’t comment on it. Instead, he turned back to the television in front of them, putting her strangeness from his mind. After all, it wasn’t the first time that Lucy had acted strange. She was weird all the time. He had gotten used to it a long time ago.

Lucy looked down at her hands as they plucked at the threads of blanket in her lap, mentally berating herself. Just what the hell had gotten into her anyway? Since when did she think anything about Natsu was _beautiful_? The entire idea made her want to laugh. Nothing about Natsu was beautiful. Sure he was warm and inviting and dazzling but-

Wait, _dazzling_.

Seriously, was she sick or something?

Frowning, she pressed the back of her head against her forehead to check for a fever. Her skin was very flushed and warm but it didn’t feel like a fever. But why else would she think such-

_Did it ever occur to you that you might **like**_ _him?_

Whoa! Where did that thought come from?

Like Natsu? Her, like Natsu? The idea was ludicurous. And yet…

She chanced a look over at him from the corner of her eye just in time to catch him mid laugh, his mouth open and his eyes dancing with amusement. Her heart stuttered and the breath left her lungs.

_Holy crap._

She liked him. She totally liked Natsu.

_Holy freakin’ crap!_

With a groan she put her head in her hands, bringing up her knees to cover her face and curling in on herself. Beside her, Natsu looked at her strangely before turning back to the television but not without shooting her looks every few seconds. Of course, the distraught girl never noticed any of this, so upset was she at her sudden realization.

_When did I start liking him?_

_Does it really matter?_ A voice whispered in her mind. _What matters is that you do._

Oh God, what was she going to do now? How could she possible look in him the eye, knowing that she liked him? How would she be able to act normally around him like she used to?

It was simple. She couldn’t. There was no way she could look at him now and ignore the way her heart sped up. There was no way she would be able ignore the way she wanted to touch him, feel him next to her at all times.

What the hell did she do now?

She jumped when she felt a warm hand on her back, her head jerking up as her wide eyes fell on Natsu’s concerned face.

“Hey, Lucy. Are you okay?” he asked. She bit her lip as she tried to ignore the way the heat of his hand seeped through the material of her shirt and warmed her skin.

“I’m fine,” she squeaked and winced. His frown intensified.

“Are you sure? You don’t look so good. You’re all flushed.” Her heart skipped a beat when she felt him touch her forehead with the back of his hand, much as she had herself earlier. But this didn’t feel like a simple, friendly touch. No, this felt… _hot_. “You’re warm,” he murmured, his eyes darkening with emotion. “Are you getting sick?”

Seizing the opportunity, Lucy jerked her head in a nod. “I must be,” she said quickly, leaning back away from his touch and getting to her feet, immediately missing the warmth of him. “Maybe I should head to bed early.”

He searched her face for a moment, his eyes surprisingly solemn. She held her breath as she waited for his reaction. Finally, he seemed to make a decision and got to his feet with a nod.

“Okay,” he said, bending down to grab his backpack where he had tossed it when they had gotten to her house after school. She sighed with relief and ignored that small part of her that felt…disappointed. Following him to the door, she shifted nervously as he turned to face her once again, a frown pinching his mouth. “Make sure you get some sleep. I can’t afford to have my favorite weirdo sick!” He said this last part coupled with a bright, dazzling grin and Lucy cursed how breathless she felt at the sight of it.

_Damn him!_

“I’ll be fine,” she reassured him with a careless wave of her hand. She was eager to see him gone so she could sort through her sudden and frightening revelations about said boy. “I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”

He gave her another bright smile and nodded. She almost fainted when he reached forward and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his muscled chest. Her face erupted into a raging blush and she squeaked in surprise. She felt his chest rumble underneath her cheek as he laughed at her. With one last strong squeeze, he released her and opened the door, waving behind his shoulder as he jogged down the driveway. She watched him go with amazement. How was it possible that one hug, something that Natsu did _all the time_ could suddenly unravel her so thoroughly?

_It’s not fair! Stupid boys and their stupid beautiful smiles!_

 

 


	7. Part IX

_Dammit, this is why I hate Christmas shopping!_

Lucy cursed as she elbowed past yet another rude woman, fighting her way to the register, her prize clutched desperately against her chest. Fifteen minutes and two more bouts of frustration later, Lucy was back out in the cold fresh air.

Though she had never been much a Christmas person, especially ever since her mother’s death, this year had been different. With her new friends and her newly discovered feelings for her best friend, she had decided to change her habits. She had gotten most of her friends taken care of weeks ago, except for Natsu. It was surprisingly difficult to think of what to give the pink haired boy.

Since they had become friends six months ago, she had come to know him almost as well as she knew herself. He was refreshingly honest and open and she had always admired that about him. He wasn’t afraid to show his emotions or affections, was by nature a warm and loving person. He was also immature, easily excited and prone to bouts of thick-headedness. It was because of who he was that Lucy had come to like him as much as she did.

But it was also because of who he was that he was _impossible_ to shop for. Natsu was a very simple boy. He didn’t need extravagant things that Lucy herself was surrounded by day by day. In him world, all he needed was his friend and loved ones and he was as happy as could be.  Throw in a couple fights and you would have a very content teenage boy on your hands. But, unfortunately, none of those things were something that Lucy could wrap and give to him on Christmas day.

Thankfully, after weeks of searching store after store in their small town, Lucy had finally come across the perfect gift. Grinning down at the bag in her hand despite the hit her bank account had taken, she strolled down the street with a decided skip in her step. Now all she had to do was wrap it and wait for Christmas to give it to him. The thought of the excitement she hoped to see on his face when he unwrapped it was almost enough to make her dance in place. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been so excited about Christmas. But then again, Natsu had brought light to her life where there had only been dull pain.

Lucy only hoped that she could one day muster up the courage to tell him just how much he meant to her.

* * *

 

This was it.

Lucy took a bracing breath and took one last cursory look around her living room to make sure everything was perfect.

They had decided to have the celebration at Lucy’s house due to the fact that most of them either lived in very small apartments with their parents or, like Natsu, lived with distant relatives after being orphaned. While Lucy’s wealth had always made her uncomfortable when compared to her friends, they had insisted and she had finally given in.

Her father was out on business, as he usually was this time of year and had not bothered to offer an objection to her plans. He had stopped caring about her comings and goings ever since their fight a few months ago. While a majority of Lucy was relieved that he had finally left her alone, the small part of her that still held onto the memory of her father before her mother’s death was hurt. Now that he realized that she wouldn’t be following his steps in the business, she no longer warranted his attention.

She was counting the days until she graduated and could leave the house that echoed in emptiness and pain.

Lucy was shaken from her morose thoughts at the sound of enthusiastic knocking and the raised voices. Grinning, the blond opened the door in time to witness Natsu launch himself at Gray and send them both tumbling to the well-manicured lawn. Rolling her eyes, Lucy instead turned to Levy’s sheepish grin.

“Hey, guys. Come in,” Lucy said, stepping aside. Levy and Loki walked by, their mouths open as they took in their surroundings. Meanwhile, Lucy turned her attention to the two wrestling boys. “You have two seconds to get inside before I lock you out.”

Natsu cursed and threw Gray off of him and got to his feet. Pouting, he turned to the waiting blond. “He started it,” he offered weakly. Lucy simply shook her head, a small smile pulling at her lips.

“Are you coming inside or do I have to give your presents to someone else?”

Natsu’s face brightened. “Presents? Sweet!” With that, he ran past her and into the house, leaving Gray and Lucy looking after him. “Come on, slow pokes! I’m not waiting for you to open my present!” Natsu called back to them.

The two friends exchanged a look before following the pink haired boy at a slower pace.

Levy and Loki had already settled on the couch, Levy a noticeable distance from the brown haired player while they watched Natsu pounce on the presents under the tree.

“Natsu, wait until I hand them out!” Lucy reprimanded, pushing him aside with her hip as she grabbed the first present. He pouted but did as she said and settled cross legged on the floor a few feet away, his eyes never leaving her.

Once the presents were passed out, Gray looking uncomfortable while muttering, ‘But I didn’t get you anything’, Lucy gave the signal to open them. She watched with a smile as her friends exclaimed over what they got and offered their thanks, but her attention was more focused on the surprisingly subdued pink haired boy next to her as he stared at his present that sat unwrapped in his hands.

After much debate and searching, Lucy had finally found someone she had thought he would enjoy. It was a beautiful marble statue, one foot long, depicting a beautiful, snarling dragon. The craftsmanship was remarkable in the lines and curves of the creature, not a detail having been spared. The scales of the dragon rippled along its skin and the muscles bunched in his crouched position. Its teeth were flashed in a spectacular snarl, but what was most capturing about it was the bright red eyes that glared out in stark relief, seeming to flicker with life and rage.

The second Lucy had seen it she had immediately thought of all the dragon sketches as she found in Natsu’s room and seen him drawing during class. For a boy so energetic it had surprised her when she had found out he drew and _well_. But what he seemed most obsessed with was dragons. When Lucy had found it at the crafts store, she had known that this was the perfect present for her friend.

But now, as she watched his look it over, his face unreadable, she second guessed her choice.

“Natsu?” she asked softly so as to go unnoticed by their chatting friends. “Do you not like it?”

For a moment, he simply continued to stare at the statue in his hands before his head lifted and his eyes met hers. She was caught off guard by the emotion on those dark eyes. It was an emotion she had never seen on his face before and it took her breath away even though she wasn’t entirely sure she could put a name to it.

She got the second shock of the day when he set the statue to the side and got to his knees and yanked her against his chest with surprising forced. She squeaked from the forced of it even as her arms automatically when around him in return. She felt him bury his face in her neck and heard his ragged breathing.   
“I…I don’t know what to say, Luce,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. She closed her eyes and pressed her face against his shoulder, simply enjoying the feel of his familiar warmth and the tingle it sent through her whole body.

“Do-Do you like it?” she asked hesitantly. She felt him pull back from her and she reluctantly let him. His eyes were misty when they met hers and his smile was the most beautiful she had ever seen.

“I _love_ it.”

She felt her heart squeeze and felt a blush heat her cheeks. He was so _beautiful_ in that one moment that she felt herself teeter on the edge a moment before her stomach dropped with her fall. She loved this boy. She loved him with everything she was.

A trembling smile found its way onto her face as she leaned against him one last time, unable to resisted the urge to feel his warmth, warmth that she craved to her very soul.

“I’m glad.”

 

 


	8. Part X, XI, and XII

Part X

 

_So…this is it_ , Lucy mussed as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. It was strange, really. She had always anticipated this moment with giddiness, had always dreamed of looking at herself in the mirror and seeing a woman instead of a girl looking back at her.

But all she saw was herself. There was no drastic change into maturity. Just her usual blond hair and brown eyes. She wasn’t astoundingly beautiful or enlightened.

It was really anti-climactic to tell the truth.

With a sigh, Lucy turned from her reflection and left the bathroom. As she made her way to the front door of her home, she suddenly felt empty.

She was graduating today. She was officially done with high school. And yet there was none of the happiness, none of the impatience she had thought she would feel. Only listlessness.

_What now?_

That was the one thought that kept circling through her mind. What did she do now? She had applied to college at Tokyo University, but only as an obligation to her father. Secretly, she had also sent an application to a college in America. If there was anything Lucy knew for certain, it was that she didn’t want to stay anywhere near her father. And if she had her way, in a few weeks, she would board a plane to America and never return.

Even now, a single white envelope burned a hole in her uniform pocket with a postage stamp from Los Angelas, California that could make or break her. She had received it in the mail a month ago but had stopped herself from opening it. She had promised herself that when she graduated, after she had her diploma in her hand, she would open it and find out her future.

Shaking the envelope from her mind, she smoothed a hand down the front of her uniform and rested a hand on the doorknob to her front door, but paused. Behind her, she could hear the sound of the staff as they went about their duties, most of them having already wished her luck earlier that morning. But it was what she _didn’t_ hear that caught her attention. There was no soft rustling of a newspaper at the dining table. There was no deep muttering as her father grumbled about the stock market or some news report that upset him. It was just Lucy and the staff in the big house that echoed in its emptiness.

Her father had left for an urgent business meeting in Brazil a week before and wasn’t expected to arrive back for at least another few days. Just in time to miss his daughter’s high school graduation.

Lucy’s hand tightened on the door knob until her knuckles turned white.

_Who cares?_ she thought savagely. _It’s not like he would have come anyway._

Bitterly, she ignored how her eyes stung and how the disappointment was almost too much to swallow. It didn’t matter how much she tried to tell herself she didn’t care that her father barely acknowledged her existence, she still felt her heart break every time she was faced with his indifference. And it was times like these that she missed her mother just as fiercely as she had since her death. If her mother was still alive…

_Stop it, Lucy_ , she told herself firmly, bringing up her free hand to scrub at her flushed face. _Today is a happy day. Now get happy, damn it. And besides, today is the day you’re going to tell Natsu how you feel. It’s now or never._

With that thought and a new sense of determination, she pushed the door open and began to make her way to her high school for the last time.

 

* * *

 

Part XI

“Lucy!”

Lucy turned at the sound of her name and scanned the crowd for the familiar head of blue hair. Finally, she caught a flash of it a moment before Levy’s small body barreled into her. The breath left her lungs but Lucy managed to wrap her arms around her friend in return.

“We did it!” Levy cried, jumping up and down in Lucy’s arms. “We made it!”

Lucy gave a breathless laugh and squeezed her friend, affection tying a hard knot in her throat. Even now, the envelope that would decide her future lay unopened in her pocket. What if she did get into UCLA? Would she ever see her dear friend again?

Levy seemed to sense her friend’s less than enthusiastic response and pulled back with a small frown. She looked up at the taller girl. “What’s wrong, Lucy? Aren’t you happy?”

Lucy nodded with a small smile. “Of course I am. It’s just…” She felt her eyes burn and had to look away. Instead of explaining, Lucy silently reached into her uniform pocket and handed Levy the letter. Levy looked down at the letter in confusion and then back at Lucy.

“What is this?” When Lucy didn’t respond, only looked away, she scanned the envelope more carefully. Seeing where the postage was from, her eyes widened and she looked up at her friend in surprise. “You applied to a school in America? Did you get in?”

Lucy shrugged, taking a deep breath and running a hand down her face. “I don’t know. I haven’t opened it yet.”

A bright grin broke out on Levy’s face. “Then open it!” With that, she shoved the envelope into Lucy’s numb hands firmly. When Levy looked hesitant, she nodded reassuringly.

Lucy hooked a thumb nail into the fold of the envelope and took a deep breath before tearing it open. Pulling the crisp white letter from its cradle, Lucy paused, fear a bitter taste on her tongue. This letter would decide her entire future. It would dictate where she would get educated, where she would life, what she could make of her life. Could she live with the answer that would greet her?

“Lucy.” The blond girl looked up and saw Levy’s soft smile. Her friend reached forward and grasped Lucy’s free hand. “No matter what, I’m here for you.”

A trembling smile found itself onto Lucy’s face and she nodded. Looking down at the letter in her head once more, she decided to get it over with and unfolded it, quickly scanning the first few words. Her brown eyes widened and her lips parted as she let out a gust of air, her whole body seeming to fold in on itself.

“I got in,” she whispered breathlessly. Raising her eyes, she caught her best friend’s gaze, tears starting to gather at the corner of her eyes. “I got in,” she cried. Levy squealed and rushed forward to wrap Lucy into another tight hug. The girls hugged and squealed in excitement for a few moments before the squeals turned into tears. Clinging to each other, they couldn’t keep the enormity of the changes that were going to come from their minds. Lucy was moving thousands of miles away to another country. They would no longer be able to see each other when they wanted, might not even be able to call each other when they wanted. For all they knew, this could be the last time they ever saw each other again.

“You’re going to be great,” Levy whispered, her voice shaky and weak. Her small arms were strong as they clutched desperately at Lucy. “I’m going to miss you like crazy.”

Lucy was the first to pull back and wiped a hand under her brown eyes. “This doesn’t mean goodbye, silly,” she said, sniffing. “I still have a few months before I have to go to America. We’ll just have to make sure we spend as much time together as we can. Besides,” she reached down and grabbed Levy’s hand, clasping it tightly in her own. “We’re best friends for life, right?”

Levy laughed a little, blinking her tears back. “You bet,” she confirmed.

“Yo, Lucy, Levy!” Both girls looked away from each other in time to see the rest of their friends approaching, all grins and enthusiasm. Wrapping an arm around Levy’s shoulders, Lucy gave her friend a small squeeze.

“Come on guys,” she said finally when they had all gathered. “I think it’s time to celebrate!”

A resounding cheer was her answer.

 

* * *

 

Part XII

 

Two hours and a crazy celebration later, Lucy stood at her doorway and watched her friends as they said their goodbyes and headed home. She couldn’t remember the last time she had had so much fun. Though she was sure her maids were going to have a fit with the state of the living room after one of Gray and Natsu’s fights and the yard after the boys decided to play football in the front yard, she didn’t regret a single minute of it. It was weird to think that she might never see her friends again.

_Stop thinking about it Lucy. Just enjoy the time you do have_.

Nodding her head, Lucy closed the door behind her and faced the only person that was left. From the comfort of her over stuffed couch, Natsu smiled at her a little. The sight of that smile made her own grin slip slightly. It seemed every time Lucy saw Natsu, he had been acting strange. His smiles were as genuine as they usually were, not as bright. Even his fight with Gray had seemed half hearted. There was definitely something that was bothering Natsu, and Lucy couldn’t imagine what it was. She would have thought that he would estatic about graduating as he had always hated going to class. But if anything, he seemed…sad.

Plopping next to him, Lucy sighed.

“Alright, Natsu. What’s wrong?” she asked after a beat of silence.

Natsu seemed to start a little before looking away, his lips turning down a little. “What do you mean?” he asked innocently.

Lucy scooted closer and tugged on a wayward lock of pink hair to get him to look at her. Catching his eyes with her, she raised an eyebrow. “Come on, Natsu. It’s me you’re talking to. You can tell me the truth. What’s wrong?”

He sighed and his face seemed to be cast into shadow as he gazed at her. She felt her heart squeeze at the _sadness_ she saw in his eyes. She had never seen him look so vulnerable before and it left a strange taste in her mouth.

She didn’t like it, not one bit.

“Natsu?” she asked hesitantly, reaching forward and clasping on of his hands. He looked down at their joined hands, curling his larger fingers over hers and seemed to be in deep thought. She waited patiently for him to speak

“I don’t…I don’t know how to tell you,” he whispered finally. She frowned and scooted closer until her knee brushed his.

“Just tell me. Whatever it is, you can tell me,” she said gently.

He seemed to war with himself before his shoulders slumped. Lifting his eyes to meet her, she was alarmed to see them be dull and listless. “I’m leaving, Lucy,” he murmured finally.

She blinked a little, her frown deepening. “What do you mean? Where are you going?”

He swallowed but kept his eyes on hers. “I’m leaving…to find my dad.”

Lucy felt her heart plummet and had to look away. “Oh?” She was amazed that her voice didn’t tremble. “That’s great. When are you leaving?”

“Lucy,” he whispered, his voice husky with emotion. She managed to look back at him. “Please, don’t.”

She laughed a little. “What? I’m just-“ She stopped when he squeezed her hand.

“Please, don’t look at me like that,” he whispered brokenly. Lucy felt her eyes burn and blinked rapidly to keep her tears at bay.

“Like what?” she whispered.

“Like I’m leaving you.”

She stiffened and savagely pulled her hand away, shooting to her feet. She turned her back on him and wrapped her arms around herself. “Well, isn’t that what you’re doing?” she asked, her voice shaky. Oh god, her chest hurt! It burned like she had swallowed hot coals. She felt her arms began to tremble and dug her nails into the flesh of her upper arms.

She heard his clothing rustle as he got to his feet. The heat in her chest turned fiery as she felt his warmth at her back and his hot hands on her shoulders.

“I have to, Luce,” he whispered. Lucy bit her lip savagely.

_Lucy, you selfish, selfish girl. How dare you get mad at him for leaving when you’re doing the exact same thing!_

She shook her head.

“No. No you don’t, Natsu.” Her shoulders seemed to slump and she finally turned to face him. The sight of his beloved face was almost her undoing but she managed to keep it together by sheer will. “But I’m not going to stop you,” she whispered finally. Lifting one cold hand, she laid her fingertips on his cheek and drank in the sight of him, as if to commit him to memory. Her fingers fell away to fall at her side. “I’m not going to stop you anymore than you would stop me. Just, promise me something.”

Natsu sighed and wrapped his arms around her to pull her against his chest. She almost cried out in agony at the ache that welled up in her chest at the familiar feel of him.

“Anything.”

“Promise me…you won’t forget me. I-I know it’s selfish but-“ She bit her lip when he pulled away, lifting one hand to cup her cheek. His handsome face was fierce when his eyes met hers.

“I promise,” he vowed gently. “I’ll _never_ forget you Lucy Heatifilia.”

She managed a wobbling smile and nodded, leaning against him for one more moment before pulling back completely. All too soon, they stood facing each other at her front door. The sun behind him framed his form and set his pink hair aflame. His eyes were solemn as they traced her features as if to commit them to memory.

“I’ll see you later,” she said, finally.

He managed a smile and nodded. “Later,” he promised.

She watched him walk away until he was nothing but a dot on the horizon. As the sun began to set and the warmth faded with it, she pressed a hand to her mouth. Her lips quivered and the tears finally began to fall. She felt her knees buckle under her weight and couldn’t stifle the sobs that bubble up through her throat. 

_I love you, Natsu. I will always love you._

 


End file.
